Magnitude-7.7 quake hits off coast of Indonesia, USGS says

A magnitude-7.7 earthquake hit off the coast of Indonesia in the eastern Flores region, the United States Geological Survey reported on Friday. The epicenter was 68 kms (42 miles) north-northwest of the city of Ende in East Nusa Tenggara province. Indonesia’s Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency issued a tsunami warning and urged residents to stay away from beaches and riverbanks. The agency located the shallow undersea quake near Flores island. Residents along affected coastlines were advised to move to higher ground as officials are closely monitoring coastal tide gauges for any changes. The initial quake was followed by two aftershocks. There was no immediate information available from authorities about possible damage from the quake. Separately, Australia’s tsunami warning center said the undersea earthquake will have “no tsunami threat to the Australian mainland, islands or territories”. Indonesia, a vast archipelago of more than 17,000 islands, is prone to earthquakes and volcanic activity because of its location on the “Ring of Fire,” an arc of volcanoes and fault lines in the Pacific Basin. The latest quake comes after a 7.4-magnitude earthquake rocked western Colombia on Monday, causing widespread damage. In June, deadly back-to-back earthquakes, with magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5, killed more than 6,000 people in Venezuela, according to government figures.